ASSA Member Yacht Clubs
Sailing Instructions
I. JURISDICTION AND RULES:
The regatta is under the jurisdiction of the hosting Yacht Club and the management of its Race
Committee. All races will be sailed in accordance with current rules of the U.S. Sailing
Association except as modified by these sailing instructions. The turns penalty, Rule 44.2 of the
current USSA Racing Rules, will apply.
II. ELIGIBILITY:
All members in good standing of PRYC, EYC, CYC, and OYC are eligible to participate at their
own risk.
Note: To be considered for point scoring the boat participating in a race or series shall be
on the race course and identify the boat with the race committee for a race or series.
III. NOTICES:
The Race Committee will post official notices. All communications between skippers and the
race committee regarding registration, withdrawal, protest, turn’s penalty, and retirements shall
be submitted to and recorded by the Race Committee on the race entry and score sheet.
IV. SCHEDULE:
Registration - 5:00-7:00 Friday night and 8:00-9:00 Saturday morning
9:00- Skippers meeting
10:00 - First Race
TBA - Second Race
V. CLASSES AND STARTING ORDER:
1. Spinnaker Class (Pink Flag)
2. Non Spinnaker Class A (Blue Flag)
3. Non Spinnaker Class B (Green Flag)
4. Cruiser Class (Yellow Flag)
VI. COURSES:
The general locale of the race will be the area of the hosting club. The course for each race will
be posted numerically one through five on the Race Committee Boat.
The starting line is between the Race Committee Boat flying the Orange FLAG and an
Orange flagged buoy opposite the Committee Boat.
The finish line is between the Race Committee Boat flying the Orange FLAG and the
Orange flagged buoy. It will be crossed in the direction of the course from the last mark
VII. STARTING SIGNALS:
All races sequences will start with a class flag (Spinnaker, PINK; “A” Class, BLUE; “B”
Class, GREEN; Cruiser Class, YELLOW). There will be a warning horn consisting of three
(3) blasts approximately 1 minute (at the Race Committee’s discretion) prior to the start of the
Spinnaker Class. Do not set your stop watch at the warning horn. Each class will begin with the
raising of the “Class Flag” and one horn blast. The following are the race sequences:
ASSA Member Yacht Clubs
Sailing Instructions
Note: There will be a time delay between classes of at least one minute. Time delay will be
at the Race Committee’s discretion. Do not set your stop watches from the start of the last
race. Time will start when each class flag is raised unless interrupted by a re-call.
Stay clear of the starting area until your class starts.
Spinnaker (Pink Flag)
Pink Flag (Class Flag) Start of Spinnaker Class 5 minute gun , 1 horn blast
“P” Flag Will be raised one minute later, 1 horn blast, Engines off
“P” Flag Will be lowered 1 minute before start of race, 1 horn blast
Pink Flag (Class Flag) Will be lowered at the 5 minute mark, 1 horn blast, race
starts
Class “A” (Blue Flag)
Blue Flag (Class Flag) Start of “A” Class 5 minutes gun , 1 horn blast
“P” Flag Will be raised one minute later, 1 horn blast, Engines off
“P” Flag Will be lowered 1 minute before start of race, 1 horn blast
Blue Flag (Class Flag) Will be lowered at the 5 minute mark, 1 horn blast, race
starts
Class “B” (Green Flag)
Green Flag (Class Flag) Start of “B” Class 5 minutes gun, 1 horn blast
“P” Flag Will be raised one minute later, 1 horn blast, Engines off
“P” Flag Will be lowered 1 minute before start of race, 1 horn blast
Green Flag (Class Flag) Will be lowered at the 5 minute mark, 1 horn blast, race
starts
Cruiser Class (Yellow Flag)
Yellow Flag (Class Flag) Start of “Cruiser Class” 5 minutes gun, 1 horn blast
“P” Flag Will be raised one minute later, 1 horn blast, Engines off
“P” Flag Will be lowered 1 minute before start of race, 1 horn blast
Yellow Flag (Class Flag) Will be lowered at the 5 minute mark, 1 horn blast, race
starts
VIII. SPECIAL SIGNALS:
Postponement: Two sounds and answering pennant (red on white) indicate a delay in scheduled
time to start. The warning signal will replace this signal 30 seconds after it is lowered.
Shortened Course: Two sounds and code flag “S” (blue square on white). Before warning
signal, this means READ COURSE BOARD AGAIN!
After start, this means SAIL ANNOUNCED COURSE AND FINISH BETWEEN RC FLAG
ON COMMITTEE BOAT AND MARK OF THE COURSE NEAR WHICH SHE HAS REANCHORED.
Abandonment or Cancellation: Three sounds and code flag “N” (blue and white checkered).
General Recall: Two sounds and First Substitute (blue and yellow) (Rule 29.3). A new starting
sequence will be initiated for class(s) not started.
Recall: One sound and code flag “X” (blue cross on white) indicates one or more yachts have
started prematurely. The race committee will endeavor to notify each yacht over early by
hailing, and the signal will be lowered when the infringing yacht(s) has returned to the pre-start
side of the line.
ASSA Member Yacht Clubs
Sailing Instructions
IX. TIME LIMIT:
A class race will be abandoned if 50% of the yachts in a class have not finished within 3 hours.
Boats within a class must finish within thirty minutes of the leading boat in that class to avoid
being marked DNF.
X. PROTEST, Turns Penalty, RETIREMENT:
Protests must be filed with the Protest Committee in addition to all of the following:
1. Display a code flag “B” or its equivalent (red flag) conspicuously in the rigging at the first
reasonable opportunity;
2. Attempt to inform the yacht protested as soon as possible;
3. File a written protest at the dock within 30 minutes of the race committee’s return to the dock;
4. Attend a protest hearing when called ASAP after filing. Rule 44.2 - Any yacht who
recognizes she has infringed a rule of Part 2 or is protested and thinks she is in error should retire
immediately or avail herself of the turns penalty by carrying out the turns as indicated in Rule
44.2 and by notifying the race committee. Note: Turn Penalty: Hitting a mark, 1 turn; Part 2
infringement, 2 turns
Retirement - Any yacht retiring from a race after starting for any reason shall inform the race
committee and will be scored DNF.
XI. SAFETY:
Each yacht participating must:
1. Carry on board USCG approved PFD for each person aboard plus a throw able.
2. Carry on board a towline suitable for the yacht.
3. Stay clear of safety and committee boats during and between all races except in case of an
emergency.
4. Allow the Safety Committee to inspect for safety equipment at any time, and accept
disqualification for cause.
XII. POINT SCORING:
Note: To be considered for point scoring the boat participating in a race or series shall be
on the race course and identify the boat with the race committee for a race or series.
1. Clubs entering less than the required number of six boats, will be scored to the highest number (DNF + 1) for
the largest class entered; spinnaker versus nonspinnaker division A or B.
2. Olympic scoring will be used (1 point first place, 2 for second, and 3 for third).
3. If a tie should occur in the combined score for a two-race regatta, the following tie breaking
procedures shall be used:
a. The boat with the lowest total cumulative corrected time shall win.
b. If the boats are still tied using the above scoring, then the boat that had the better
finishing place in either of the two races shall be declared the winner.
c. If a tie still exists, then a flip of the coin shall be the determinate.
XIII. SPECIAL RULES:
1. There will be no restriction on whisker pole length for non-spinnaker class boats.
2. To reduce the advantage boats with two slotted head foils have over boats without, the
following will apply: Boats may fly a single jib attached only at the tack and with no hanks to
forestay. When changing sails the new sail may be hoisted before lowering the old sail;
however, the new sail must be on the same side as the old sail. Except for the above, a boat may
ASSA Member Yacht Clubs
Sailing Instructions
only fly a single headsail unless she is cutter rigged.
3. “Round-the-Ends” (Rule 30.1) shall apply during the minute before starting signal for your
class has been displayed. If any part of the boat’s hull, crew or equipment is on the course side
of the starting line or its extensions during the minute before her starting signal, she shall sail to
the pre-start side of the line around either end before starting.
4. Communications with the Race Committee Regatta Officials.
During the conduct of regattas sponsored by ASSA communications with the Race Committee
shall be governed by the following rules.
a. Communications with the race Committee Regatta Officials is prohibited beginning
with the Warning Signal of the first race and continuing on until the awarding of trophies,
except for the following:
1) Only questions and comments related to yacht identification upon crossing the
finish line
2) On course notification of intended protest
3) Notification of withdrawal from a race
4) Requests for emergency assistance shall be directed to the Race Committee.
b. Requests for information by the Race Committee shall be promptly and courteously
provided.
c. Regatta results will be posted for review prior to award of trophies. All questions or
comments regarding the posted results shall be made to the Fleet Captain of the host club
or its designee.
d. Profane or uncivil comments that are directed to or about the Race Committee or
Regatta Officials before, during or after a regatta will be subject to disciplinary action by
ASSA as provided by Rule 69 of U.S. Sailing.
e. Discipline may include disqualification from the current regatta and denial of
participation in the next three ASSA sponsored regattas.
f. Skippers shall be liable for the conduct of their crew.
5. Races will be scored using time on time per PHRF.
6. Colored Class Ribbons issued by the Race Committee shall be visibly flown from the back of
all racing boats attached either to the backstay or by other suitable means for boats without
backstays. Colors for each class are:
a. Spinnaker Class---Pink
b. Non Spinnaker Class A---Blue
c. Non Spinnaker Class B ---Green
d. Cruiser Class --- Yellow
Note: You must have a class flag and sail number to be scored!! If you do not have a sail
number ASSA will assign a number which shall be used for the remaining year’s regattas!!